(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a practice system for a bow and arrow hunter which allows the hunter selectively to position the target at various locations from a shooting area, to shoot arrows thereat, to retrieve the targets to ascertain the results, and to retrieve the arrows in the target, all without leaving the shooting area.
(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
The references of record are a good representatitive of the state of the art. The only patent of which the inventors are aware which relates in any way to the invention is U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,232, issued to Netherton et al. on Nov. 22, 1994. Netherton et al. show an archery hunter's practice setup in which a drive pulley and a plurality of idler pulleys are attached to trees. A cable loop is driven by a motor associated with the drive pulley to move one or more targets hung from the cable around the pulley-defined path, thus simulating the movement of an animal in the woods, allowing practice at shooting at a moving target. The differences are too numerous to mention them all. To set forth a few: One, the arrows that miss the target are sprayed in Netherton et al. around the closed path; in the instant invention, those arrows that are not in the target itself, are grouped near the selectively fixed location of the target. Two, the target moves “on its own,” so to speak; it moves continuously or it is not in use. The hunter of Netherton et al. either turns it on or turns it off; in the instant invention, the hunter controls the movement and location of the target at all times. And, three, Netherton et al. need outside structures, tree, buildings, etc.; in the instant invention, a series of pulley stanchions are carried to the practice ground, including at least a tension station, a drive station, an intermediate station, and an end station, in order to set up the shooting course without need of outside equipment or structures. Numerous other differences, each of which negate anticipation, also exist.